11 “Jazzy” Divas Will Sing For You Sunday
by Kai EL’ Zabar
Joan Collaso, the jazzy one, is certainly one of Chicago’s great voices and is an is Emmy award winner to prove it. She’s the complete package, tall, brown and lovely, talented and a charismatic entertainer rooted in the sound that is Jazz.
The way Joan tells it, it’s in her genes. After all her parents met singing in a college choir. And she was but a toddler when her mother put her in the Children’s choir at church. And in the tradition of the Black Church she was given solos to perform. We would like to believe that her talent drove the adult choir director to put her in the spotlight butJoan says, “I think more because of my outgoing personality and ability to sing in tune than anything else.”
Joan explains that most important was her parents and extended family’s encouragement and support that embraced her love for music and helped to inspire her belief in herself as a great singer at the early age of 5 years old, proving that if you think it so be it. And yet Joan knows the value of study that must accompany talent as well as the commitment. She says, “It was as I matured that I began to see the necessity to work at it. Though I came from a musical family, I had to put the work in if I really wanted to succeed. My My most influential teacher was Lena McLin ( who also influenced R Kelly), my choir teacher in High School.
So in 2010 she founded TIMELESS GIFTS Youth Mentoring Program for the Performing Arts (www.timelessgifts.org) of which she is the executive director. Through Timeless Gifts she is able to give back what was given to her as a young who exhibited talent and a love for music.
That same year she came up with a very jazzy idea when she called up eleven female vocalist to perform at ETA for Women’s History Month and the rest is history. The Eleven Jazzy” Divas was born. They performed to a sold-out audience the next day DuSable asked if they’d bring the act to the museum. As the producer of the show, her vision was to have each vocalist– a star in her own right to choose their favorite Black female artists and songs by the artist of there choice which they would perform. Eleven “Jazzy” Divas Black women vocalists who have brought emotion and told stories through song song from the heart across various genres of Jazz to R & B.
Since then the audiences have patiently awaited for their annual performance.
Eleven “Jazzy” Divas is an exciting experience that takes the audience on a thrilling tour or Black women vocalists who have brought emotion and told stories through song song from the heart across various genres of Jazz to R & B. The idea is to introduce, rekindle memories, stimulate and excite the audience though the music each diva will share. “We want tour audience to enjoy themselves and walk away with the memory of the female vocalists whose songs we sing but also to know us better,” says Joan.
This year, Joan said that she was, inspired to present Eleven “Jazzy” Divas as a way to celebrate Women’s History Month and at the same time recognize a woman who has been a community activist for years giving of herself tirelessly in what seemed effortlessly. So Eleven Jazzy Divas will celebrate and honor yet another jazzy diva, Mrs. Juanita Passmore, Chicago philanthropist and successful business woman in celebration of her 90th birthday, Sunday March 20, 2016, at the DuSable Museum of African American History, located at 746 East 56th Place, promptly at 4pm. Doors open at 3:30 pm.
Each vocalists uniquely delivers her song music, entertaining and So mark your calendars now, call and reserve your tickets and be there for one of the most thrilling and exquisite musical journeys ever.
Though Jazz, Blues and Gospel are the reigning genres of this group, don’t be surprised if they throw in something contemporary. They are more than capable! You never know what will happen next with the “Divas”…but just hold on to your seat because each one is going to knock your socks off!
The beauty of Eleven Jazzy Divas is that as you embrace the outstanding, voices each, self expressed, personalities and style, you will experience a sense of the historical nostalgia as the ladies reference their influences and interpret the music with soul-stirring integrity and heart-touching sincerity. Expect to hear the music of Chaka Khan, Nancy WIlson, Ella Fitzgerald, Dianne Reeves, Phyllis Hymen, Abbie Lincoln, Lena Horne and Eartha Kitt and more.
The vocalists Featured are Joan Collaso, Bobbi Wilsyn, Tecora Rogers, Yvonne Gage, Maggie Brown, Julia Huff, Margaret Murphy-Webb, Lynne Jordan, Frieda Lee, Greta Pope and Felena Bunn
The doors open at 3:30pm, show time is 4pm. Tickets are $35 in advance ( you can still call before 1pm) and $40 at the door. For tickets and information call: 312-808-0005
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